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The Staple - Sheet Masks!

If you read my "Who Are You?" page, you've discovered that my journey began with receiving my first sheet mask through my favorite subscription service, ipsy. I was sent the Blue Lotus & White Tea mask from Pur-lisse. Pur-lisse is an Asian American beauty company founded by Miss Jennifer Yen. I'll let you read all about Miss Yen on your own, but I'll show you what I received:

Blue Lotus & White Tea Sheet Mask

I had never heard of a sheet mask. I had no idea why I'd use one or how to, so I shoved it aside and let it sit on my counter. After a few weeks had passed and I was poised to send ipsy a scathing email because they had forgotten an item in my subscription box, I happened upon my long lost masks (lucky for ipsy...). My skin was cruddy. I had hormonal acne breakouts around my chin and nose. I was desperate to find something inexpensive that would tackly my breakouts and hydrate, nourish and moisturize without causing an over-production of oil. I figured since my skin was already a mess, I had nothing to lose. But I still didn't know how to use it.

A sheet mask is exactly what it sounds like. It's a cloth or material mask that has been soaked (and I do mean SOAKED) in an herbal, vitamin, nutritional or other-based "essence", which is a concentrated liquid, gel or cream. The masks themselves can be cotton, gel or even rubber. The essence will differ from mask-to-mask, based on the skin concern it's designed heal. And there is indeed a fomula for every type of issue: moisturizing, nourishing, hydrating, firming, pore tightening, calming, even cleansing! The purpose of the mask is to increase the penetration of the essence into the skin, leaving you with an intensely treated epidermus.

According to the directions for this fiber-type mask, and as with most masks, you start with a freshly cleansed and toned face. The mask is just dripping with goo and has almost a watery feel, but you can tell it's clearly not just water. You place the mask on your clean face, tugging it into a comfortable position, making sure you can both see and breathe out of the pre-cut holes. Then.....you leave it there for 15-20 minutes, or as long as instructed.

The masks are designed for one-time use. When your time is up, gently tap your fingers across your face (as if playing scales on a piano). This helps to aid in the absorption of any excess essence. Toss the mask into the garbage (but hang on to that packaging - details to come).

This particular mask is designed to fight free-radicals, improve skin texture, brighten and fim skin. Basically purify, renew, nourish and moisturize. The mask was quite slick, so I decided to relax in the tub and let the mask work its magic - and, boy, did it ever!

How Was It?

The first thing I thought while removing the mask is, "this is going to be a sticky mess." I mean, the mask was drenched in goo. But after tap, tap, tapping the essence into my skin, the leftover liquid fully absorbed, leaving my skin feeling fresh and clean, not to mention soft. I also noticed a dewy glow, and this was not the gleam of oil sitting atop my skin. This was a glow located just beneath the surface of my skin, nothing that could be wiped away. For the first time ever, my skin was RADIANT - no oil, no shine, just a lovely lighting of my skin. My skin was also incredibly soft and smooth. I was sold! And there was no going back! I just had to find out more about these amazing products that we Westerners were just beginning to uncover.

What Do I Love About the Sheet Mask?

Skincare for me basically comes down to 2 things:

1) What is the price point?
2) Does it work?

It's hard to find skincare for under $20 and item - and it's even harder to find good skincare at that price. A large number of Western cleansers use artificial ingredients and chemicals. They cause the product to be harsh which can strip the skin, causing even more damage, irritations and even allergies. There are very few artificial ingredients in Korean skincare products. Most ingredients are natural and organic, which contain vitamins and minerals that work with and not against our epidermis. The products are designed to hydrate and moisturize while targeting the skincare concern as well. The result is fresh clean skin that is younger-looking, nourished and unblemished. Maintaining moisture is the key to beautiful skin, and it's an area where Korean skincare dominates.

As for the price point, Korean skincare prices can't be beat. This particular mask from Pur-lisse sells for $8/mask. In my opinion, the price point is high for this particular type of mask. Korean masks can run anywhere from $0.50 to $15. And the cheaper masks are just as effective as their pricier counterparts. What brings the price up is the type of mask (rubber is more expensive than fiber) and any specialty ingredient(s) that is(are) used - from snail mucus to gold leaf! Fiber masks are on the low end. While this mask was a great sample to try, I have been able to find numerous masks that are similar for a LOT less!

One Thing to Remember...

The sheet mask is just one of the steps in the Korean skincare regimen. It is designed to work in unison with its counterparts, so don't throw out your other products just yet! Stay tuned and together we will work our way through the entire 10-Step Regimen.

Popular Posts

There is so much out there in the land of K-Beauty, I hardly know where to begin! So I'm going to go back to sheet masks for a brief moment and tell you about my favorites.

Neogen Code 9 Oxygen Bubble Peeling Mask In my last post, we discovered that the Neogen brand is about the serious business of skincare. This product is no exception. In fact, it is also the rule! Say hello to their Oxygen Bubble Peeling Mask. Unlike a good majority of the sheetmasks out there, this is a cleansing mask. The purpose of the cleansing mask is to remove dirt, oil and leftover makeup from the epidermis, much like a foam cleanser. The difference is, obviously, it's in mask form which stays on the skin for an extended period of time, lending to a more effective cleaning.
The Claim"This Oxygen AHA Bubble Peeling Mask has an impressive skin clearing formula containing AHA and BHA that will suck out the dirt, clean the pores, and remove dead skin cells to leave the skin clear, smooth and glow…

I know what you're thinking. It's what every working (at home or away) American female thinks when confronted with a routine. "Ain't nobody got time for that!" But I challenge you to look at your skincare differently. Think of it as the few minutes out of the day that you take the time to take care of yourself. You live in your skin for a very long time. And we all know the better you take care of your things, the longer they last. Your skin is no different. This is an opportunity to pamper yourself. And it's fun - especially once you start seeing results!

The next question that may cross your mind - won't so many products irritate my skin? I also wondered this. Korean skincare products, as opposed to our Western counterparts, are designed to be gentle. You will be hard-pressed to find products with any harsh chemicals or intensely grainy substances. There are a few manual exfoliation products, which we will discuss, …

In case you didn't catch it in the last post, I own a LOT of product. There's a few reasons for that.

A. Price point;
2. the sheer number of brands and products and that are available;
III. my philosophy.

A. Price Point
I obviously cannot mention this enough. The prices of K-Beauty products are significantly lower than their western counterparts. Western eye creams start around $40. I don't know about you, but I don't have $40 to waste on an eye cream that may or may not work. You can easily find a good K-Beauty eye cream for $10-$15. And it doesn't stop there! The essences, serums, night creams - everything can be purchased for under $20/item. The next time you're in Sephora or Ulta, take a look at their prices and compare.

2. Brands
Tony Moly is one of my absolute faves and the first big K-Beauty brand I discovered. They carry a plethora of products for the entire body, hair included. They are a leader in the industry and can be found wherever …